Description
Spicy marinated Mexican chicken, grilled and topped with beautiful fruit salsa. Weeknight easy. Company worthy. [paleo]
Ingredients
- 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces or left whole, if you prefer to skip the skewers.
For The Marinade:
- 2 tablespoon dark brown sugar (or substitute coconut sugar)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2-3 cloves finely chopped garlic (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
For The Salsa:
- 2 cups finely diced nectarine or mango (about 3 nectarines or 2 mangoes)
- 1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper
- 1/4 cup minced red onion
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 small jalapeño or Serrano pepper seeded and finely minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 peeled avocado finely diced
Instructions
- Combine marinade ingredients in a large bowl: brown sugar (2 tablespoons), chili powder (1 tablespoon), garlic (1 tablespoon), salt (1 teaspoon), cumin (1 teaspoon), pepper (1/2 teaspoon), olive oil (2 tablespoons), and lime juice (2 tablespoons). Mix well. Add chicken and stir to thoroughly coat. Cover and refrigerate for an hour or two. Thread chicken pieces onto 8 (12-inch) metal skewers.
- Combine salsa ingredients except the avocado: nectarine (2 cups), red bell pepper (1/2 cup), red onion (1/4 cup), Jalapeno, cilantro (2 tablespoons), salt (1 teaspoon), and lime juice (2 tablespoons). Mix well. Gently stir in the avocado.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high. Cook the chicken kebabs for about 6 minutes per side or until the chicken is cooked through. Serve with the salsa!
Notes
Make this in a skillet or grill pan: When it's not grilling season or if you prefer to cook inside, you can use a skillet (preferably cast iron) or grill pan for this recipe. Heat the pan over medium high heat. Add a teaspoon or two of of high smoke point oil such as avocado oil or canola. Remove the chicken from the marinade and cook it in batches, turning frequently, until browned and cooked through, 5-7 minutes.
[This post first appeared on Panning The Globe in July 2014. It was updated in January 2020 with new photos, added nutritional information, clarifying details in the written post and clearer instructions in the recipe.]
Nutrition Information: The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and is not a substitute for the advice of a professional nutritionist.
- Prep Time: 45 mins
- Cook Time: 12 mins
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Grill
- Cuisine: Mexican